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California Drought: Snowpack Falls Below Average, Which Means Another Down Year for Hydroelectricity

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Rob Nikolewski

At the start of the year, it looked like California would finally get some relief from a persistent drought, with reservoirs poised to help contribute an abundant amount of hydroelectricity to the state’s grid come summertime. But those hopes are fading like a mirage.

“Realistically, as far as our dams and our hydroelectric production, it’s looking like we could be in a similar spot as last summer, potentially even worse by the end of the summer,” said Andrew Schwartz, lead scientist that the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab. “It’s not looking great, to be honest.”

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Council Supports Initial Steps Toward Doheny Ocean Desalination Plant

/in , , /by /Dana Point Timesby Breeana Greenberg

The Dana Point City Council last week voiced continued support for South Coast Water District’s desalination plant, which looks to establish a local source for drinking water and reduce dependency on imported water.

In a unanimous decision, councilmembers voted to send a letter to the San Diego Water Board, imploring the agency to renew the South Orange County Wastewater Authority’s permit to discharge wastewater through the San Juan Creek Ocean Outfall.

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Leaks an Untapped Opportunity for Water Savings

/in , , /by /UC Davisby Kat Kerlin

Before a drop of treated water in California ever reaches a consumer’s faucet, about 8% of it has already been wasted due to leaks in the delivery system. Nationally, the waste is even higher, at 17%. This represents an untapped opportunity for water savings, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, is the first large-scale assessment of utility-level water loss in the United States.

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California Hasn’t Seen Drought Conditions Like This Since 1984

/in , , /by /Bloomberg

People and companies are competing for the world’s most basic resource – water- in California. We’re in Madera County, California, where a never-ending drought is pitting citizens against corporations.

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Gov. Declares Emergency in Klamath County as Drought Worsens

/in , , /by /KGW8by Associated Press

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has declared a state of emergency in Klamath County as southern Oregon remains in an ongoing drought that shows no sign of letting up.

The Monday declaration directs state agencies, including the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Water Resources Department and the Water Resources Commission, to provide assistance to water users in the region and to seek federal resources to help residents and wildlife, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

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Lake Powell’s Water Levels Declining, Officials Worry About Generators and Drought

/in , , /by /ABC 4by Jordan Verdadeiro

3,490 feet is the minimum elevation at which the generators in Lake Powell can run, according to Gene Shawcroft, the general manager for the Central Water Conservancy District and Utah’s Colorado River Commissioner.

He says 3,525 feet was the buffer level, water leaders decided on, to move forward with a plan after witnessing record drought conditions.

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Drought Limits Water Supply for Western US Agriculture

/in , , /by /Argus Mediaby Jasmine Davis

The US Bureau of Reclamation announced last month that irrigation districts accounting for farmers across California’s Central Valley would receive a zero-water allocation from the Central Valley Project as early-year dryness weighs on anticipated water supply. No water is allocated for irrigation north and south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin river delta, including off the Sacramento river, according to the 23 February announcement. Additional allocations will be announced in May.

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Diverters Reminded to Measure Water Use Under Law

/in , /by /AgAlertby Christine Souza

Data is key to better understanding and managing California’s water supply. However, the state reports a lack of compliance by affected water-rights holders, who are required to report the water they divert.

“Even though we initially opposed the regulation, it is the law, so it is very important that people are in compliance,” said Danny Merkley, California Farm Bureau director of water resources. “It protects our existing water-rights system, which was designed for times of scarcity, like we have now, and it works if we get the data.”

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What’s ‘Average’? Snowpack Determines Health of Colorado River, and Our Understanding of It Is Changing

/in , /by /Cronkite Newsby Alex Hager

High in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, under thin air and bluebird skies, the Colorado River Basin is slowly replenishing its savings account. Craggy peaks become smooth walls of white, and snow piles up against conifer trunks, covering even the deepest, darkest corners of the forest in a glimmering blanket.

Snow that accumulates on the western slope of the Rockies eventually becomes water in the Colorado River. Some of it will flow as far south as Mexico, running through kitchen faucets in cities and suburbs along the way, or watering crops that keep America fed.

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Opinion: San Diego County Water Rates Will Trend Lower Than MWD’s Over Time

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Tish Berge Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

A recent commentary by the board presidents of the Fallbrook and Rainbow water districts included incomplete and misleading information about increases in future water rates in San Diego County.

Contrary to their assertion of a 50% increase over five years, the San Diego County Water Authority’s board has not set rates for future years. At the wholesale level, rate setting is done one year at a time and the process is just starting for 2023.

As part of our financial due diligence that helps maintain strong credit ratings, we forecast a range of possible future rates while we work with our partners to maintain our infrastructure and minimize financial impacts on ratepayers.

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